1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to military training with full and short range rounds of combat ammunition and, more particularly, is concerned with an assembly of modified propellant increments for converting the propulsion system of a training round from full to short range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The United States military currently stocks rounds of mortar ammunition for both combat and training purposes. The ammunition rounds use an assembly of propellant increments to achieve the required tactical ranges for the combat ammunition as well as the full range training round.
The prior art propellant increment has a hollow body composed of combustible material, such as a nitro cellulose material. The hollow body has a horseshoe-shaped configuration and is filled with an appropriate gun propellant material to achieve the desired firing range.
When the ammunition round is fired, both the combustible hollow increment bodies and the propellant material contained therein are ignited and consumed. Their consumption provides the energy necessary for propulsion of the round to its target.
The military also has a requirement for a short range training round, one having approximately one-tenth the range of the full range round. However, current methods for achieving the shorter range produce radical changes in the tactical configuration of the ammunition. Such changes compromise realism in the training. Therefore, a need exists for a different approach for providing a short range training round without undermining realistic training.